No Original Title Yet
by rejoice489
Summary: In which Bloom gets kidnapped by Baltor and falls in love with her most perfect enemy.


Bloom moaned, her body aching everywhere at once. Her eyes fluttered open to unusual environs.

"Rise and shine," a smooth, lyrical voice floated toward her from Heaven.

Groaning again, Bloom tried to roll over, but gasped at the sharp pain cracking in her ribs. Tears rose unbidden to the corners of her eyes.

"Wake up, love."

_I must be in Heaven_, she thought. _Except for the pain. But that voice, it's so beautiful…_

She opened her eyes once more, finally focusing on her surroundings. But none of it made any sense. _I remember being back at the Academy. I left to go to class and…_ Darkness. Nothing more, nothing less.

And these dark stones, these velvet curtains, this soft rug, they didn't belong to any memory of, well, anywhere. Her gaze traveled from the fire roaring before her to a chair settled comfortably in the shadows. It was there that the voice had come from. Bloom frowned, trying to see through the shadow sitting there. But it was just too impossible. Her eyes wouldn't focus!

"Are you going to pass out again, Bloom?"

_That voice. I know I've heard that voice from somewhere, but where?_

"Who are you?" she managed to hiss out from between her teeth. It hurt to breath and a funny stinging pain was shooting up her leg.

The chair creaked as the figure stood and advanced toward her. "I was a little rough, wasn't I? I'm sorry. You were so persistent on getting away. I hadn't meant to hurt you."

It took a long moment for Bloom to process his words. Finally, "What?" she asked. "What are you talking about?"

Long delicate fingers brushed her forehead in a caress. "Oh dear, it seems I was much too rough with you." The voice added, "You have a fever."

At last, the face she'd been straining to make out leapt within her view. Memories cascaded back. Her heart, startled, leapt within her and her breath caught in her chest. Suddenly trembling, Bloom struggled to put any kind of distance between her and her enemy. She kicked out with her legs and, realizing the awful mistake she had made by making such a move, cried out in pain.

Her leg. There was something horribly wrong with her leg!

He was trying to sooth her, trying desperately to fight her quivering motions.

"Get away, get away. Please, get away!" Bloom sobbed.

"I'm not going to harm you, Bloom. If I had wanted to, I would have already. So be still!" Baltor grabbed her shoulders in an attempt to subdue her.

"No! Let go," she cried.

Angry with himself for going too far, and angry with her for avoiding his help when offered, Baltor roughly lifted Bloom up into his arms and sat her down in the chair. All the while, Bloom struggled feebly and bawled.

"Wipe that pretty face of yours, Bloom. No need to cry," he soothed

"B-But it, it hurts!" she wailed.

"What hurts, love? Tell me."

Bloom assented, "M-My side and m-my leg!"

Baltor tilted her face towards his, gingerly wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'm going to heal you, Bloom, but it will hurt. I need you to be strong for me. Can you?"

"I don't know-"

"Please, Bloom," he beseeched.

Finally, biting her bottom lip in trepidation, Bloom nodded. With the consent of her gaze, Baltor carefully placed his hands on either side of her broken leg and with a quick jerk, straightened it out. Bloom screamed.

Over and over he murmured, "I'm sorry," and "Hush, it'll be over soon." From the palm of his hands grew a strong, brilliant light; it pulsed with a strange energy. Slowly, yet steadily, raw sinew and bones knit themselves back together in Bloom's leg. Bloom groaned in anguish, gripping the arms of the chair lest she strike out towards her benefactor.

"There," Baltor crooned. "All done."

Bloom started to exhale, but the lungful of air got caught in her chest. Coughing desperately, Bloom gripped her torso, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to block out the painful throbbing.

"Except for that," she heard him murmur. Baltor pried away her hands, settling his own on her chest. Again, that powerful light washed over Bloom, this time, healing the cracks in her ribs, enabling her to breathe deeper, better than before. Gradually, Baltor pulled away, watching her wearily.

Swallowing nervously at his incessant gaze, Bloom lowered her eyes and whispered, "Thank you, Baltor."

"Will."

For a moment, Bloom stared at her hands in surprise, but raised her head to stare directly into his face. "Will?"

He smiled. "My name. It's William Edward Baltor."

Bloom dipped her head. "Thank you, Will."

William raised silent fingers to catch a stray tendril of firelight hair. "I suppose I saved your life, then. And I suppose," His fingers traced the edge of her jaw. "That you're welcome."

Suddenly realizing the closeness and proximity of his face, Bloom blushed and turned her head away from his gentle fingers. William chuckled softly. "Ever the sweet, innocent maiden." He changed topics unexpectedly. "Do you know why you're here, Bloom?"

Her quizzical green gaze told him all he needed to know.

Gradually, and holding her gaze, Baltor said, "You're here because I need you out of the way."

The color drained from Bloom's face, making it wan and white. "W-what?" she stumbled out.

"Don't get the wrong idea, love. Back on Tides, I warned you to stay out of my path. You didn't." Will leaned over her, abruptly clutching her wrists resting on the armchair. "I _will_ become the greatest wizard in the entire magical dimension, Bloom, and you're the only one who can stop me." He flicked his gaze over her body, making Bloom's face fill with color again.

"We're connected, you see. Because of that connection, harm could easily befall you. But I don't want to hurt you, Bloom. No, harm is the last thing on my list. I want you to flourish, I want your powers to grow; but with the Trix constantly following me, that won't happen. They would hurt you, Bloom. I won't see that happen again."

"What about before?" Bloom asked, anger burning in her eyes. "You broke my leg!"

Will dropped her gaze, slightly shaking his head. "I didn't mean for that to happen. You challenged me, forcing me to act in…despicable ways."

Bloom slipped her hands out from underneath Baltor's grip. "Ms. Faragonda said you wanted to destroy me," she whispered.

Will's lips curved up into a grin. "I should have known that old fairy would try to twist my past into this matter." He sighed.

"But you're evil!" Bloom exclaimed.

"Not evil, just…made from darkness. I have a choice, I suppose, as we all. And I have a feeling I'm widely misunderstood."

"But-"

"Enough Bloom. No more questions tonight." Wearily, Baltor got to his feet, holding out his hand for Bloom to take. Bloom hesitated before sliding her palm into his outstretched hand; a shiver raced through her body fiercely. A small gasp escaped her lips.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

Bloom raised her gaze to his face, not clearly understanding what he meant.

"The dragon fire connects us, Bloom. Every time we touch, it sings." Will grasped her hand tighter in his grip. Another shiver wracked through Bloom. Sighing, he let go, moving toward the door at one end of the room.

Bloom tried to follow him, but darkness spotted her vision. "Will." Bloom reached for Baltor, her world swaying dangerously as he glanced back at her. She recognized the confusion in his gaze, and then the confusion broke away to concern. In an instant, he grasped her around the waist just as her knees buckled underneath her.

Once again, darkness concealed the world around her.

"_You're here because I need you out of the way…I _will_ become the greatest wizard in the entire magical dimension, Bloom, and you're the only one who can stop me…The dragon fire connects us, Bloom. Every time we touch, it sings…"_

Bloom jerked awake with a sob, grasping silky sheets in tight fists.


End file.
